With the launch of the world’s longest urban zipline, the opening of the Frame, Zaha Hadid’s’ ‘The Opus’ building, and a six-week special of world renown Van Gogh’s Alive exhibition, Dubai is setting the scene for a very exciting 2018. Providing entertainment for thrill seekers and culture vultures alike, as well a range of activities for families too, Dubai continues to surprise and amaze with stunning new attractions and world-class developments.

The world’s tallest hotel is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2018 in Dubai. It will have 528 rooms spread right up to the 75th floor and will be356 meters high. To put its huge stature in perspective, Gevora Hotel will be more than three times taller than London’s Big Ben, 56 meters taller than Paris’ Eiffel Tower, and around equal to the length of three football pitches. Located on Sheikh Zayed Road in the Trade Centre area, the hotel will feature four restaurants, swimming pools for adults and children, a Jacuzzi facility, a health club, a luxury spa and gymnasiums.

Rising 150 meters high and 93 meters wide, the Dubai Frame is an impressive and imposing architectural landmark that unites the city’s past, present and future. Its two vertical towers are connected by a 100-square-metre bridge that features a 25-square-metre glass panel in the center, offering a great 360-degree view of the city. The bridge serves as an observation deck providing uninterrupted views of old Dubai to the north and new Dubai to the south. Visitors begin their journey by learning about the history of Dubai in the Past Gallery, with picturesque projections depicting Bedouin life, camels and the infinite sands of the desert. Visitors then move on to augmented reality-activated screens on the Sky Deck level that showcase present-day Dubai, before walking through a specially designed ‘vortex tunnel’ to a virtual metropolis representing the future of Dubai.

Currently standing as the world’s longest urban zip line, extending a full kilometer from a height of 170 meters to ground level, the XLine Dubai Marina is now open to the public. The line features an incline of 16 degrees and reaches an average top speed of 80 kilometers per hour. This new edition is twice the length of its forerunner and features two zip lines running adjacent to one another. Guests can try the superman-style harness, suspending daredevils horizontally as they zip from one of the Amwaj towers in JBR down to the terrace of Dubai Marina Mall.

At the age of five, Roger Brucker made an important discovery: his new trainers had enough grip to scale his friend’s laundry chute. He promptly climbed from the basement to the first storey bathroom. Regrettably, it was occupied. It’s an obsession for a few people who are intrigued by how big it is, how far is goes and how many kinds of cave passages it contains,” Brucker said. “I think this is just unbridled curiosity fed by a continuous stream of discoveries.” Mammoth Cave, the centrepiece of Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park, has attracted explorers for centuries. Spelunkers have discovered blind fish in underground rivers, tunnels blooming with gypsum flowers and sheer, gaping pits. What they haven’t found is the end of the cave. In the 1950s, Brucker was part of a team of ambitious young cavers exploring the Flint Ridge landscape around Mammoth Cave National Park. Together, they founded the Cave Research Foundation, a team of volunteers dedicated to scientific exploration. What does it take to be a caver? “Curiosity, the ability to see things in three dimensions and persistence,” Brucker listed. “I would not look for some kind of macho muscle man.” Not least of all because macho men can’t squeeze through narrow passageways. Size is often a deciding factor in caving: even the park’s Wild Cave Tour is limited to people measuring 42in or less at the shoulders and hips.

Brucker has worn a lot of hats – writer, executive, teacher, activist. But his favourite has a carbide lamp on the front. He’s been exploring the uncharted reaches of the Mammoth Cave System for more than 60 years. In that time, he’s played a role in most major discoveries, including Mammoth’s establishment as the longest cave in the world. Source: BBC

Himalaya Airlines — a Nepal-China joint venture airline — has announced its direct scheduled flight to Doha, Qatar from May 31. flight will depart from Kathmandu at 11:00pm and land in Doha at 1:30am (local time). Similarly, the return flight will depart at 2:30am from Doha and land in Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:15am starting June 1. The airline will fly its new Airbus 320-214 from Kathmandu to Doha on a regular basis thereafter.

The airline will operate three flights from Kathmandu to Doha in a week for the first 15 days — on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Then after, the airline will operate regular flight in Kathmandu to Doha sector.

The flight route has scheduled for the convenience of the passengers, said Vijay Shrestha, vice president, administration of Himalaya Airlines, during the press briefing here today. “It gives us immense pleasure that Himalaya Airlines is going to start first direct scheduled flight to Doha from end of May, to advance tourism and business between Nepal and Qatar and strengthen the bi-lateral relationship.”

Established in August 2014, the airline started its international flights operation from April 12 this year, flying directly to Colombo of Sri Lanka. The airline has planned services to more destinations, namely, Delhi, India; Lhasa, Chengdu and Beijing in China a few months later, as per the airline.

February 12, 2015 – The IMTM 2015 tourism international fair held in Tel Aviv concluded
successfully on February 11, 2015 with the participation of 5 travel
companies and Nepal Tourism Board. The fair was held for two days
beginning 10 February 2015. As in the past, the fair was deemed successful
to entice herds of Israelis and other international visitors. There are
almost over 6000 visitors who visit Nepal annually. Host of the visitors
were very curious to know about the products that Nepal is famous for.
Many of the past visitors also enquired further for their future travel.
HE Ambassador Mr. Prahlad Prasai was also present for full day on the day
of inauguration and disseminated Nepal’s information from the Nepal stall.
He says, “There is a huge demand of Nepal in Israel and they all are aware
about the Nepal’s pristine culture and adventure.” Hundreds of visitors
witnessed and quenched their thirst of Nepal through participants involved
in the mart. It was discovered that Israelis are more concerned about
adventure more than culture. Likewise Mr. Mohan Krishna Sapkota, Joint
Secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil
Aviation , in course of his participation in the said fair says, “Nepal
should not miss the opportunity to tap the immense potentialities inherent
in this market.” Mr. Aditya Baral, Senior Director and spokesperson,
Nepal Tourism Board comprehending the age old relations with the Israel
and its potential says, “We will leave no stone unturned to further
enhance the enormous demand apparent through the mart.”
Mr. Samir Bajrachary, Senior Officer also participated the mart on behalf
of Nepal Tourism Board.